Tale of a J Class
Tale of a J Class is a special. The first part aired on 4/17/2017. Plot Part 1: One early morning, Nicholas and Eileen deliver a train back to Highland Valley. They were both out very late and go to the shed to get some sleep. When daylight breaks out, Eileen, Mitch, and Pops depart the mountain line with a freight train. Meanwhile Mr. Edwards tells Nicholas to take a manifest to Roanoke along with Henry and Kara. Nicholas is still asleep and doesn't catch that. Lily uses her horn to wake Nicholas, which works. Nicholas however, is mad and tells Lily that if Amtrak were to replace her, he hopes the replacement is less annoying. Lily seems unaffected and sets off to get the Richmond Limited. Nicholas then leaves to get ready. When Henry, Kara, and Nicholas arrive at Roanoke, Kara spots Barry, so they decide to talk to him soon. As they start a conversation, Nicholas starts regretting what he said to Lily, so he asks Barry if he thinks everyonE could see replacement anytime soon. Barry knows what replacement was like, so he decides to tell his life story to Nicholas, Kara, and Henry. Barry starts out explaining history behind the 1879 and 1903 J Class as well as the building of the 1941-1942 J Classes, as well as the 1950 J Class, his kind. One day in August 1951, Barry arrives back after a run with the Powhatan Arrow. He talks to his friend Ferdinand, a Y6B, who doesn't understand why Barry enjoys the Arrow so much. The next morning, Ferdinand sets off with a freight train where he later sees a pair of PRR F7As. One month later, Ferdinand is still annoyed by all the diesels he is seeing lately, as they are replacing steam engines on other railroads. Barry isn't too worried, as it's not the N&W. In April 1952, Barry arrives back from his journey where he meets Ferdinand and Rorick in the sheds. They are talking about the next day, as Rorick is being tested against some GM demonstrator FTs to experiment with costs. The test begins the next day where Rorick leaves the diesels in his dust. This excites Barry for a long while. Ferdinand still believes that change is possible. In January 1954, Barry hears from Ferdinand that the last month, the N&W purchased their final steam locomotives. Barry thinks the railroad doesn't need engines anymore, but Ferdinand and N&W #600 don't think that's exactly the case. 600 then leaves to get ready for the Powhatan Arrow as Rorick arrives and informs Barry about the end of steam production. Rorick, too, thinks that the railroad could possibly buy diesels. News got around that N&W placed orders for diesels in 1955, and in 1956, it was official. That same year in January, Barry leaves for Cincinnati with the Pocahontas. The trip goes well until they reach Cedar, WV, where Barry finds himself going overspeed and derails near the Tug River. Later that year in June, Ferdinand comes to visit him and also tells him that they got their first diesel locomotives. Later that year in November, Barry returns to service, though temporarily assigned to freight runs. Rorick compliments Barry on his new appearance, as Barry's condition has improved with his extensive repair job. Two days later, Rorick even mentions it to N&W 475, who asks him how Barry is now doing. In February 1957, some more new N&W GP9s roll out of the shops. They pass by Ferdinand, who is at a coal mine. The next day as Barry picks up his train, Ferdinand arrives and warns him about the new engines. Barry cannot recall seeing many diesels so far, and leaves the station. Later on his trip, he sees two GP9s pulling a freight train. Three months later, Ferdinand goes to pick up his train, but finds it shorter than usual. N&W #600, who is passing by, tells him that two GP9s took most of the train. Ferdinand is angry. Later in July, as a freight train departs Roanoke, Ferdinand is angry about them "stealing his work", but Barry tells him that they were just helping. N&W 612 thinks that Ferdinand was most likely displaced with all his short trains. He then departs the station. In October 1957, Barry is pulling the Powhatan Arrow when his engineer tells him that they can only go as far as Bluefield, because two diesels are taking over from there. This upsets Barry, as he could be getting displaced too. Barry still gets the train to Bluefield, where the lead diesel congratulates him on how quick he could arrive. Little did Barry know, that the next year would see the worst in them. Part 2: WIP Characters * Barry * Nicholas * Eileen * J.P. (cameo) * Peach (cameo) * Lily * Henry * Kara * Chyoko (does not speak) * Mr. Edwards * Mitch (cameo) * Pops (cameo) * Josiah (does not speak) * Ferdinand * Rorick * N&W J Class #600 (not named) * GM FT #103 (not named) * Worker'' (not named)'' * N&W M Class #475 (not named) * N&W J Class #612 (not named) * Engineer'' (not shown)'' * N&W F7A #3660 (not named) Winston and other characters will likely appear. Locations * Highland Valley * Roanoke, VA * Norfolk, VA * Kentucky Central * Lots Creek Branch * UMR Other locations will likely appear. Trivia * This special was inspired by TrainzGamer939's Tale of a GS-4, up4014 steam train fan's Tale of an FEF-3, KLDStudios' Legend of the Lost Daylight, Shakesphear's MacBeth/Hamlet, and dajara521's Psychosis. * The beginning scene was only added for humor. * We can infer that Lily still enjoys teasing Nicholas on occasion. * The route used for Roanoke is the Roanne 07 route. * Barry's Y6B friend was named Ferdinand, after the Thomas character (although the creator personally dislikes the logging locos from Thomas). * The part where Rorick is tested against EMD FTs is based on reality when in 1952, N&W tested their A Classes and Y6s against EMD demonstrator F units and won out. * The worker has the same model as Larry's dad from the creator's GoAnimate videos. * Barry's 1956 accident is also based on reality, when 611 derailed near Cedar, WV. His return from being repaired is also based on real life, since the creator remembers reading that J Classes were also assigned to freight trains, and 611 was after it was repaired. * When the FTs are delivering new diesels, there were 2 idiots trying to beat the train to the crossing (if you look closely). * Norton, Rorick, and Henry from Psychosis cameo in this part. Jensen will likely cameo in Part 2 as well. Goofs * Henry says "heritage" wrong. * When Ferdinand meets the PRR F7As at a crossing, he blows his whistle too early. * The creator may have been a little off with some of the January 1956 scenes. Special Category:Specials Category:Specials inspired by other work Category:Season 3